


choosing to stay —

by bondofoblivion



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Roxas's Birthday, Sea Salt Ice Cream (Kingdom Hearts), Shh just let me have this, Sora is so earnest and I love him so much, Sora loves Roxas's smile, Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 22:17:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17989517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bondofoblivion/pseuds/bondofoblivion
Summary: “Today’s your birthday, Roxas,” Sora said.“What?” Roxas asked.“I wanted to see you today because —.” Sora ducked his head, the smile pulling at his features still present, if not laced with an edge of uncertainty. “It’s the day I lost my heart.”





	choosing to stay —

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this isn't one of the things I was supposed to be working on, but all soroku content is valid content, right?
> 
> Come stan soroku with me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/bondofoblivion) — I need more Kingdom Hearts content on my feed.

         Sora raced up the steps of the clocktower, not fearful of falling. His dexterous nature from years of adventuring kept his steps deliberate despite being near exhausted by the end of his trek. When he reached the top of the tower, he recognized the shape of the figure seated on the edge of building immediately. His breath escaped in pants as he collapsed next to Roxas, pulling out two bars of sea salt ice cream. He offered one to the blond, smiling all the while.

         The corner of Roxas’s mouth quirked up in what only his closest friends would describe as a grin as he accepted the ice cream. “You know,” Roxas said, “When you told me you were going to be late, I didn’t think it’d be so close to tomorrow.”

         Sora’s expression turned sheepish but he shook his head, genuine smile pulling at his lips as he replied, “But it’s still today, so I made it —.” Then, Sora yawned, a sudden wave of drowsiness overtaking him. The chosen wielder hadn’t been sleeping well, not since before he disappeared and that hadn’t changed after he returned. With the addition of full day of fighting heartless and traveling, he could feel the fatigue in every inch of his body. 

         But that certainly hadn’t stopped him from racing up to his destination, Roxas’s side. 

         “You’re exhausted,” Roxas noted, gently bumping their shoulders together. His gaze strayed from the endless sunset to Sora, who was admittedly having a hard time keeping his eyes open. “What are you doing here? — You should have gone home.”

         “Nah,” Sora said, pressing his shoulder against Roxas’s, allowing the blond to carry some of the weight of his body, even as he took another bite of his ice cream. “I’m — fine.”

         “Sora,” Roxas said, looking down on the mop of brown hair from where Sora’s head had fallen to rest in the crook of his neck. “We could have just met up tomorrow,” Roxas offered. “It would have been fine.”

         “I just —,” Sora said, quietly, even as his eyes were falling shut. “I wanted to see you _today_ …”

         Roxas stifled a laugh. Sora felt his body shake ever so slightly at the action. “What’s so important about today?”

         Roxas’s words struck a cord in Sora, one that seemed to sap every trace of exhaustion from his bones. His sat up so quickly that Roxas’s free hand immediately latched onto his forearm, steadying him. Sora shook his head, muttered his gratitude and met Roxas’s gaze. His surprise at Roxas’s question awoke him with the kind of haste Destiny Islands being swallowed by darkness had and Sora was suddenly entirely unconcerned about the threat of melting ice cream in his hand.

         “Today’s your birthday, Roxas,” Sora said.

         “What?” Roxas asked.

         “I wanted to see you today because —.” Sora ducked his head, the smile pulling at his features still present, if not laced with an edge of uncertainty. “It’s the day I lost my heart.”

         “Oh,” Roxas replied, a heavy sigh escaping him.

         “So,” Sora said, looking up to meet Roxas’s gaze. He nodded, a touch of determination in his tone. “It’s your birthday.”

         “I guess —,” Roxas explained, “I always considered my birthday the same as yours, or maybe Ven’s.” A huff of amusement escaped him, even as he returned his gaze to horizon. “Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about that.” He shook his head and wouldn’t look Sora in eyes. “I mean, do nobodies even have birthdays? — I wasn’t supposed to exist..”

         “Today is your birthday, Roxas,” Sora reiterated, dropping the pitch of his voice ever so slightly, in hopes he could convey that this was not up to debate. “And I — I wanted to spend it with you.”

         “But — that’s when you were turned into a heartless,” Roxas said, still avoiding Sora’s gaze, tone sharp and resigned. Roxas sighed, running his free hand through his hair. His voice shifted again, losing its edge. He sounded apologetic, nearly guilty. “You _died_ , Sora,” Roxas’s eyes strayed to his own hand, lingering on how the ice cream in its grasp was dripping from the edge of the clock tower. “And that was just the first time… You saved your friends that day, Sora,” Roxas explained. “Shouldn’t you be with them?”

         “I left you alone back then so I promised myself —,” Sora replied, painfully earnest. He trailed off when he realized Roxas still wasn’t looking at him. Sora ground his teeth together, frustrated that Roxas wouldn’t lay eyes on him, that Roxas didn’t seem to understand, even after all this time, that he mattered. And not just to Namine, Axel, and Xion. He placed a hand on Roxas’s shoulder, gently urging the blond to turn towards him. Roxas seemed reluctant, but allowed Sora to guide him. Their eyes met and Sora smiled. “I promised myself that every anniversary of this day, I wouldn’t ever leave you alone again.”

         “Sora… you idiot…” Roxas trailed off, though Sora couldn’t help but notice the slight curve of his mouth. “Aren’t you the one who’s always saying that you’re always here?” Roxas asked, pressing his free hand against his chest, where his heart was.

         “I guess I am —,” Sora laughed, because when Roxas was smiling and practically telling Sora to practice what he preached, the chosen wielder couldn’t really articulate what he was feeling. He figured the knots his chest untangling with unprecedented ease must be a good sign, though. A soft laugh escaped Roxas at Sora’s words, the expression barely discernible. Then, it hit Sora like Thundaga. 

         Roxas said that Sora was in his heart. 

         But sometimes, for Sora, that wasn’t enough. 

         Sora wanted to see Roxas. He wanted to lay eyes and hands on this person who somewhere, deep down didn’t seem to think he deserved to exist. He wanted to prove to Roxas over and over again that he was real and it didn’t matter if lived and breathed for a few years or just as many as Sora had because he was here now. Roxas had to know, just as Sora did, that he was devastatingly real. For having lived and died and disappeared as often as they both had, Roxas just had to know. Right?

         Sora knew his connection with Roxas was different than what tied him to Kairi and Riku. Even though he always wanted to return to their side — with Roxas, it was just more than that. With Roxas, Sora felt like he belonged. With Roxas, Sora felt understood.

         Because throughout it all, Roxas, just like Sora before him, never lost heart. 

         Even when he believed he didn’t have one. 

         And to Sora, that was stunning.

         “Roxas,” Sora said, “I don’t want to just be in your heart.”

         Roxas paused for a moment and really looked at Sora. From the way his eyes narrowed ever so slightly and the minute arch of his brow, Sora could tell he was trying to understand. Then, a small smile pulled at his lips. He nodded and simply said, “Then don’t.”

         Sora’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

         “I’m asking you stay,” Roxas explained, shrugging his shoulders. When Sora continued to gape at him, he clarified. “And not just for _my birthday_ —.”

         Sora was surprised and though he tried to deny it, the smile that pulled at his features, wide and breathtakingly genuine, was inevitable. “Weren’t you just saying I should be with Riku and Kairi?” Sora teased.

         “Yeah,” Roxas replied, a soft laugh escaping him. “But don’t they both kinda live in the Land of Departure and Radiant Garden now?”

         Sora hummed thoughtfully, still grinning. “And I guess with Lea, Isa, Xion, Hayner, Pence, and Olette already here, it wouldn’t be too hard…” Sora turned away then, looking over the horizon. Every word from his mouth was just as earnest as its predecessor. “And you and I could take over the old mansion, make it home for all of us. — Even Namine, if she wanted!”

         A soft laugh escaped Roxas, even as he agreed. “Whatever you want, Sora.”

         “You know,” Sora said as he placed the bar of ice cream aside, blissfully unaware of how the barest edge of the word ‘Winner’ was beginning to show where the dessert started to melt. “I’ve wanted a lot of things in my life, Roxas, and I’ve been so lucky to get most of them — the power to protect my friends, restoring the light, saving everyone.” Sora was quiet for a moment, hesitant as he asked, “Is it weird to think I just might be running out of allowances to ask for things?”

         “No,” Roxas said, shaking his head. He looked past Sora, to the abandoned ice cream, recognizing the message hidden beneath the sea salt treat. He turned toward Sora, leaning just over him to grab it, the rest of the bar falling off to reveal the hidden word in its entirety. Roxas held the stick up, leaning back and out of Sora’s space. “But I guess this makes it my turn —.”

         “But that’s my ice cream,” Sora replied, a laugh parting his lips.

         “Then it’s your lucky day,” Roxas said, holding out the popsicle stick for Sora to take. “You get to ask for one more thing.”

         Sora accepted the offer, seizing the thin piece of wood. He hummed as he considered all the things he could ask for, as if this were a genie’s lamp, and not a simple promise that his next bar of sea salt ice cream would be free.

         “Can I —?” Sora began, then stopped. He looked at Roxas and asked quietly. “Can I stay?”

         “Like I would ever ask you to leave,” Roxas replied, his grin mirroring the brunet’s from moments before. He bumped his shoulder against Sora’s then, fond smile still pulling at his lips. “I think —,” Roxas paused, shaking his head, “It looks like we’ve found a new reason to celebrate today.” 

         Sora smiled as he listened to Roxas speak. He had never heard Roxas so impassioned. He had never seen Roxas so expressive. Roxas was so real — bathed in the golden light of the eternal sunset and Sora swore he’d never seen something so beautiful in his life.

         Sora, in all his naivety, realized three fundamental truths in that moment.

         1.) He never wanted to leave Roxas alone ever again.

         2.) He never wanted a moment to pass where Roxas wasn’t smiling like this.

         And uh — he might have fallen somewhere along the way, but it wasn’t off the edge of the clocktower.

         “It can be the day you decide to stay,” Roxas added, “Or the day when we are both free to choose to stay.” His smile turned playful, even as he promised, “No disappearing, not anymore.”

         And something in that grin, in those words, broke Sora. He jaw was aching and his eyes were burning. It felt as if his heart was simultaneously being shattered into a million pieces and was being rebuilt again, all because of an oath uttered by his other half. 

         It took Sora a moment too long to realize that the stinging of his eyes would manifest in tears streaking down his face.

         “I think —,” Sora sniffled, “I’d really like that.” Then, he wiped at his eyes with his wrist. “I’m sorry, I guess I’m just really tired.”

         “Stay with me tonight,” Roxas offered, abandoning his own ice cream and grabbing Sora’s hand.“We can check out the mansion tomorrow,” He added. “Also, for what it’s worth, this — has been the best _birthday_ I’ve ever had.”

         “You’re the worst —,” Sora replied, tears making way for the soft laugh Roxas seemed to coax from him. “It’s just because you’ve never had one.”

         “Then, you’re going to have to step up your game.” Roxas teased, lacing their fingers together, raising their intertwined hands. He met Sora’s eyes just over the sight of their joined hands, a challenge in his voice. “I’d hate to be there when Axel and Xion find out.”

         “If I was less tired,” Sora replied, tugged Roxas towards him, releasing the other man’s hand as he did so. “You’d eat those words.”

         “No wonder Riku got a rise out of you back then,” Roxas replied with a laugh, suddenly dangerously close to Sora and not backing away. “What if I told you I bet they’ll get me better gifts, too?”

         Sora’s breath caught in his throat at Roxas’s proximity and he honestly couldn’t attribute it to his confession of where Roxas’s gift was. “I left it on the gummiship,” He managed to say.

         “We’ll get it in the morning,” Roxas said. “It’s fine, Sora.”

         Sora hardly heard Roxas’s reply. In fact, it was difficult for him to focus on anything other than the blond’s proximity. Roxas was so incredibly close and Sora was here with him on his birthday without a gift. Well, he _had_ a gift for Roxas but he wasn’t too terribly interested in removing himself from the other man’s side to get it. 

         He was so distracted by Roxas’s proximity that he convinced himself that until he could actively force himself to get up and retrieve said gift, he could improvise. And that, itself, was a dangerous train of thought when Roxas was _this_ close and Sora was prone to only giving himself a millisecond to consider whether something was an awful idea or not. 

         And now, with every nerve in Sora’s body was firing on all cylinders and compelling him to just touch Roxas because he was right there and so incredibly close.

         _Kiss him._

         “Okay! But until then —!” Then, Sora’s fingers were curled into the fabric of Roxas’s jacket as he pulled the blond flush against him, pressing their lips together. In hindsight, Sora knew he didn’t give Roxas enough time to react, because he pulled away as quickly as he’d drawn Roxas close. “Happy birthday, Roxas,” He said then, resting his forehead against the Roxas’s. Sora’s eyes were closed, almost afraid to see how Roxas would respond.

         “Sora, I —,” Roxas said, until he was moving. He pushed Sora back, father from the edge of the clocktower, even as he pulled him closer. Sora can feel one of Roxas’s hands curved at the nape of his neck, the other urging him back from the edge of the tower, grasped at at the point of his hip. But that didn’t compare to the feeling of Roxas’s kissing him back.

         Roxas’s tasted like the beach, and though that might have just been the sea salt ice cream on his lips, Sora couldn’t imagine anything else feeling more like home than being with Roxas like this.

         Maybe Roxas was right, that copy of Verum Rex and the console Sora managed to grab from Toy Box could wait until morning.


End file.
